


Just Enough

by Ilerre



Series: The Walking Dead Prompts - Dixoncest / Dixcest [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-12 19:47:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4492392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilerre/pseuds/Ilerre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merle had seen the looks the two guys kept throwing at him and Daryl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Enough

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt submitted by Naomi:  
>  In the last season when Daryl had dinner with Aaron and Eric he had quite a plateful and well after so long with so little food (and I totally believe he would have been slipping some of his food to people he thought needed it more and only taking the minimum for himself to be able to get by) anyway I just don't think his stomach would have been able to handle it.  
> So if you like the sound of it and feel like it I would love to read about Daryl finishing his dinner and then after a while he realizes he isn't going to be able to keep it down so tries to get to the bathroom but doesn't make it and is sick all over himself as well as having really bad stomach cramps and Aaron and Eric look after him and get him cleaned up he doesn't really know them so would be flinching from them to begin with but is too exhausted to protest much and yeah lots of Daryl comfort but not in a relationship kind of way just that they are really good guys kind of way. ******

0

Merle had seen the looks the two guys kept throwing at him and Daryl. 

It was annoying. 

Those two had found them when they were at their worst and brought them back to the safe zone in Alexandria, and strangely enough, kept trying to make friends with them. Merle couldn't quite grasp why. He didn't look friendly at all, and since losing the prison, being separated from his baby brother, finding him again in Terminus and nearly losing him all over again, Merle had become even more vicious in protecting Daryl. So, he wasn't going to let those two get close to his little brother. He didn't know them, didn't know what they wanted, so he sure as hell wasn't going to risk anything.

He didn't trust this place, didn't trust those happy people, smiling and thinking the old world wasn't just a dream, but the reality. 

Their reality.

Well, not Merle's, and not Daryl's. He wasn't going to let himself but lulled by that false sense of safety, and he'd do anything in his power to spare Daryl from thinking they were safe here.

"What's with the sour face?" Daryl mumbled quietly, the tip of his fingers trailing over the surface of the water as Merle took a bath. 

Daryl was still damp, long hair combed back, and shirt clinging to his skin.

Merle snorted and sat, grabbing a cloth to wash himself, secretly rejoicing in the simple act of being clean and feeling clean. Daryl's lips twisted as if he understood Merle without needing words and grabbed the cloth, gently rubbing his back. 

"I jus' don't feel right, 'ere," Merle mumbled after a while. 

Daryl hummed and continued his washing. "Our people seem to like it 'ere," he said quietly. 

Merle grimaced and turned his head on the side. "What 'bout ya, baby?" he asked gently, "ya like it 'ere?" 

His little brother was quiet for a while before leaning close so his cheek was touching Merle's. He rubbed them together for a moment, before gently licking at a stray drop running down Merle's neck. "Not really," he finally muttered. "I miss the woods."

Merle nodded and reached a hand to pat Daryl on the head. "Yeah," he sighed. "Yeah."

0

They looked ridiculous, Merle thought. The whole of them. Dressed up to the nines, shiny hair arranged and clothes clean and smelling of soap. He really didn't understand. He exchanged a nod with Carol and Maggie, before he felt Rick stand next to him. "You sure you and Daryl won't come?"  

Merle put his hands in his pockets and looked out the window. Daryl was sitting on the porch, his back against the railing and his arms on his knees. He looked out of place, small, completely lost. "Nah, parties ain't our thing."

Rick hesitated but finally nodded. Merle watched him walk outside, kneeling before Daryl and speaking to him quietly, before gently patting his knee and standing up to leave and join the group as they departed to join the party at Deanna's house. 

Merle grimaced and rubbed his face, walking out and sitting next to Daryl, fishing around his pockets to find a cigarette and chuckling when Daryl dangled one in front of his eyes. "Thanks," he said as he lit it. 

He inhaled deeply and they shared the cigarette until Daryl crushed it under the heel of his boot. Merle sniffed in the chilly air, and stood. "C'mon, baby, let's have a walk." He helped Daryl up and they walked the quiet street in silence, Merle with an arm around Daryl's waist and Daryl pressed against him, two fingers looped in Merle's belt. 

They passed Deanna's house, looked the people inside they could see by the window, before turning away and walking down another street. They passed a house and stopped when the front door opened, and Aaron waved at them. "Hey, you're not at the party?"

Merle shrugged one shoulder. "Ain't our thing."

Aaron chuckled. "Yeah," he nodded, "Eric and I don't like it either." He seemed to hesitate before waving at the house behind him. "Do you want to come in? Eric makes a mean Bolognese."

Merle tightened his arm around Daryl and lightly hit his chin against the side of Daryl's jaw to ask what he thought of the proposition. Daryl was quiet for a moment before nodding minutely in agreement. 

Merle cleared his throat and looked back up at Aaron. "Aw'right." 

They followed the man inside, both of them feeling out of place in such a neat place and looked around before following the man inside. He quickly set the table for four and invited them to sit with a pleasant smile. 

It felt surreal, and apparently Merle wasn't the only one to feel like that because he could feel Daryl discreetly move his chair closer to him and link his ankle with Merle's in reassurance. 

Eric came from the kitchen with a large plate of pasta and sat with a smile, looking at the both of them. "I'm so glad you came," he gushed, "we're so happy to have people come around." He exchanged a look with Aaron before filling their plates and clapped his hands. "Well, go on! Dig in." 

Merle looked down his plate and raised an eyebrow. He hadn't seen that much food in a long while, and he wasn't sure to be able to eat it all. Apparently, Daryl didn't even think about being told twice; he wrapped an arm around his plate and grabbed his fork, and put a mouthful of pasta in his mouth, slurping loudly and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Merle breathed out a laugh, and took his fork to start eating at a more measurable pace. 

He listened the other two talk about the people around Alexandria, and half listening, Merle kept an eye on Daryl, gorging himself in food and wine. He knew how it was going to end, but for now he didn't feel like stopping his little brother the pleasure of eating decent food after so long eating worms and dogs. 

They finished eating and exchanged a few more words, before Daryl suddenly stood up with a hand against his mouth, and barely had time to go outside before he was already throwing up his dinner in the bushes in front of the house. "Ah, shit," he muttered and joined Daryl kneeling in the grass. He put a hand on Daryl's trembling back, still heaving his dinner. "Hey, baby, take it easy." 

It was several long minute later, with an empty stomach and a few straight tears down his cheek that Daryl finally knelt down and slumped against Merle's chest. "Sorry," he muttered, using the back of his hand against his mouth. 

Merle shushed him and rubbed his stomach under his shirt, feeling the abs contract in deep cramps. "'t's aw'right, I shoulda stopped ya." He tensed when he felt a presence at his side but accepted the glass Aaron was handing him. He gently pressed it against Daryl's trembling lips and rubbed his back as Daryl switched water around his mouth and spit it back. 

"Do you need anything else?" Eric asked hesitantly, looking at them in worry. 

Merle shook his head and stood, one arm under Daryl's knees in a bridal hold, and silently cursed when he really felt the important weight loss of his brother. "Nah, 't's okay, we're okay. We'll jus' head back now." He started walking toward the house they'd been given and turned to look at the couple standing on the porch, holding each other, faces clearly clouded with worry. "Thanks for—" he paused, and adjusted his grip on Daryl's body as his little brother wrapped his arms around his neck and buried his face there. "Thanks for tonight," he finally said with a curt nod and turned around to leave.  

He didn't need their pity. He didn't need anyone to take care of his little brother. 

0

"Here ya go," Merle whispered, handing Daryl a hot mug.

Daryl grimaced and turned his head away, turning his back on Merle and curling himself into a small ball. "I don't want it," he muttered.

Merle sighed and put the mug on the nightstand, frowning at Daryl's bare back, the scars mocking him. "It's tea. 't's supposta calm your stomach."

Daryl hummed and wrapped his arms around his belly, the cramps still not lessening. "Don't care, I jus' wanna sleep," he slurred, and hissed when another cramp made him dry heave.

Merle shrugged off his shirt and unlaced his boots, lying on the bed and gently taking Daryl in his arms, his tense back trembling against his chest. "Norm'lly, I 'ave to order ya to stop givin' your food to th'others," he said in a quiet voice.

Daryl was silent for a moment, just breathing in and out to fight against the intense nausea before snorting in disbelief. "'n that's why ya let me eat till I puked?"

Merle kissed the back of his neck and gently started massaging his stomach. "Well…" he trailed off.  

Daryl chuckled and shifted slightly to make himself comfortable, linking their fingers on his stomach. "Thanks… _I guess_."

Merle kissed the back of his neck and squeezed his hand. "Anytime, sweet'eart."

They were just enough for each other. 

0

**Author's Note:**

> This work is unbetaed. Please feel free to point any typos you saw or missing words, or any sentences that just don't make any sense :)
> 
> [SUBMIT A PROMPT HERE](http://hillbells.tumblr.com/submit)  
>  ****  
> 


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